Trump asks drug companies to speed up coronavirus vaccine
The president of the United States says he will meet with drug companies Monday afternoon to discuss possible developments for the cure.
US President Donald Trump said Monday that his administration asked drug companies to "accelerate" their efforts to create a vaccine against the coronavirus.
Trump's remarks were made in the Oval Office alongside Colombian President Iván Duque before it was reported that six people died from the virus in Washington state.
"We are working very hard with the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), with everyone on an issue that has become a very important one," Trump said, emphasizing that the United States and its professionals are doing it "very good".
The president indicated that he will meet with the pharmaceutical companies during the afternoon hours of this Monday.
"We have a great meeting with the biggest companies. Really, the most powerful companies, hopefully the smartest companies, anywhere in the world when it comes to drugs and vaccines," Trump said.
When asked if it was safe for him to continue organizing campaign rallies amid the coronavirus outbreak, Trump responded, "Well these were established a long time ago. I mean, I could ask that of the Democrats because they are having a lot of political campaigns. They all have campaigns. That's what they are doing. They are campaigning. "
"I think it is very safe to hold demonstrations," Trump added.
Inter-Afghan Conversations
When asked about the peace process in Afghanistan, Trump said his administration will find out whether the Afghan-to-Afghan talks will start as planned.
"Well, we are going to find out. But we are leaving. We want to leave. We have had good meetings with the Taliban. And we are going to leave, and we are going to bring our soldiers back home," the president replied.
He stressed that the United States has done a "good job in terms of getting rid of terrorists" for almost 20 years and "now it is up to other countries to get rid of those terrorists."
On Saturday, the United States and the Taliban signed a historic peace agreement that sets a timetable for the total withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan.
The United States would reduce the number of troops in Afghanistan to 8,600 in 135 days and complete the withdrawal within 14 months as agreed, according to a joint statement signed between the United States and Afghanistan.
The agreement is expected to lead to talks between the Taliban and the Kabul government, seeking to end the 18-plus-year conflict.
